


Beyond the Rainbow Pixels

by kuromantic



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Aquariums, Art Student Akaashi Keiji, Artists, Fluff and Humor, Gamer AU - Freeform, Gamer Akaashi Keiji, Gift Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2019-06-12
Packaged: 2020-05-02 02:22:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19189993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuromantic/pseuds/kuromantic
Summary: Akaashi Keiji is a gamer and an art student. He doesn't expect his love life to end up involving both.





	Beyond the Rainbow Pixels

**Author's Note:**

  * For [transteverogers](https://archiveofourown.org/users/transteverogers/gifts).



> HI! THIS IS SUPER LATE!! BUT I DONE IT! THE GAMER AU!!  
> enjoy!!!

_Nar00to has joined._

Akaashi adjusts his headphones, shifting slightly in his swivelling chair. The new player’s avatar is flashy, and it’s wearing the latest unlockable hat with an owl design on it. He finds it cute, but it’s not the right time for him to gawk.

_Akka: Welcome to our party._

_Crow: yo_

_Nar00to: hi!! I’m Nar00to!_

Akaashi blinks. He wonders if he’s really joined by the titular character from the Shonen Jump manga, but decides to not think about it. What matters is how good he is, assuming the player is a guy.

And he is. They’re tearing through enemy swarms, and Nar00to, as Akaashi begrudgingly calls him, is way up at the front, earning their party large amounts of rewards and gold.

_Crow: shit, he is good_

_Crow: if only we could shadow clone him too_

_Akka: if only you could focus and not get killed_

Crow, or Kuroo, goes to the same university Akaashi does, and studies nanoscience. Apparently, he finds enough time in between exams and writing reports to go on raid quests with him and annoy the ever loving shit out of him.

Despite Kuroo and the new player continuously making meme references and clowning about with every in-game feature known to man, they come out victorious and rewards pile into their stock.

_Akka: My Discord is Norinigiri#3415_

Akaashi gets a friend request within seconds of sending the message, by someone with the username CherryBeefles#1412. His profile picture is an altered image of a horned owl, with ballet shoes photoshopped onto it.

_CherryBeefles: Akka! Today was awesome! You were awesome!! How much do you play??_

_Norinigiri: On the weekends usually, when I don’t have work. I’m a college student._

_CherryBeefles: Oh my god! I’m a college student too! I study engineering!_

_Norinigiri: Really? Are you sure I’m not talking to a 40 year old with cheeto hands?_

_CherryBeefles: NOOOOOO_

_Norinigiri: I’m kidding._

Akaashi isn’t going to lie. He’s finding the guy pretty cute, and he seems smart too, although he’s only judging based on his major. In any case, he wants to be closer to him.

_CherryBeefles: What major are you doing??_

_Norinigiri: I’m studying art. Would you like to see my newest piece?_

_CherryBeefles: Yeah!!_

Akaashi yanks his headphones off and shuffled over to his canvas, snapping a few photos of his newest art piece. It is a watercolour of a cottage interior, painted with warm colours to emphasize the cozy atmosphere.

_Norinigiri: Here it is._

_CherryBeefles: WHOA!! That’s so pretty! You could sell it and earn money!!!_

Being complimented in such a straightforward manner makes Akaashi incredibly happy. He’s used to being critiqued into high hell whenever he presents his work, and he’d almost forgotten how gratifying it was to have someone look at his art in awe.

_Norinigiri: Thank you. I need to work on some assignments, we’ll talk later._

_CherryBeefles: Gotcha! Let’s play video games together again!_

Akaashi buries his face into his pillow, and groans. He’s drawn to a guy whose name he doesn’t even know. Maybe he could be a guy in his forties, living in someone’s basement. But somehow, he doubts that’s the case.

He wakes up the next day, and the memory of his new friend complimenting his art flood back to him. His chest warms as he imagines what he looks like. Somehow, he knows CherryBeefles is an absolute beauty.

“Hey, Akaashi, you going to study in the library today?”

Kuroo asks him, sipping on his coffee. They often sit together in the library to study when there’s time, since Kuroo can’t get too loud and Akaashi can concentrate on whatever he’s working on.

“Yes. I have an art history report to do, so I’ll be there when my classes end.” Akaashi drinks his own cup of latte, with extra milk and sugar. Kuroo puts nothing in his coffee, and Akaashi is convinced that he’s some sort of non human being. Kuroo tells him that it’s what science does to a person.

When Akaashi arrives at the library and spreads out his books, someone he’s never seen before joins his table. He ignores him and keeps writing, seeing no point in starting a conversation with a stranger.

As Akaashi writes about Van Gogh’s paintings, he notices the student beside him glance at his work curiously. He has a rather peculiar appearance, with black and white streaks in his hair and a notebook with little owl stickers.

“Hey, I’m gonna get some coffee. Want me to grab something for you?”

Akaashi doesn’t know how to react. “Um, can I ask who you are? Have we met?”

“I’m Bokuto Koutarou, second year! What do you want to drink?”

Akaashi gets out of his seat. “I’ll go with you. I’m not letting an upperclassman I barely know get me a drink.”

“What the hell? You’re younger than me?” Bokuto’s face is in Akaashi’s, staring curiously. “But… You’re so much more calm and collected!”

Akaashi lets out a chuckle. “Thank you for the compliment, I guess. We’ve only just met.”

Something about Bokuto seems oddly familiar, but he would have known if he’d met someone with such a unique hairdo. He follows him to the vending machine, and finds out that Bokuto is a milk with coffee person.

Akaashi plays with CherryBeefles again that night, after finishing his report. They do slightly less well than yesterday, but Akaashi has fun watching him and Kuroo bicker and joke as they play.

_Cherrybeefles: Hey hey! How was your day?? Did you submit your art??_

_Norinigiri: No, it’s not due until next month._

_Cherrybeefles: It’s so pretty though!_

_Cherrybeefles: Did you finish your work?_

_Norinigiri: I managed to finish my report, yes. How about you?_

_Cherrybeefles: I got distracted… I still have 5 pages left._

_Norinigiri: Why?_

_Cherrybeefles: Someone cute <3 _

Akaashi bites his lip. For a moment, he’d assumed his new friend was gay, but statistically, he’s just a gamer guy who likes cute girls. He wonders who the girl is, and then stops. It shouldn’t be his business.

But it nestles itself in his mind, which is apparent the next day when he leaves his notebook on his desk. He notices when he digs into his bag in the middle of class, and he resorts to pulling a page out of his sketchbook and writing the notes there.

He isn’t sure how many people are staring at him, but he’s embarrassed out of his mind. He wants to retreat somewhere underneath his desk. He wishes for the class to end, so he can retreat back into the library.

“Akaashi! Hey, Akaashi!”

Bokuto pokes him from behind, somehow headbutting him in the process. Akaashi lets out a choked sound, rubbing the back of his neck grumpily. “Yes, Bokuto-san. Hello.”

“You’re my friend now! You can tell me anything!” Bokuto pats him enthusiastically, and Akaashi realises he’s the type of person with ‘personal space’ not in their dictionary.

Akaashi’s lip twitches. “Just because I can, doesn’t mean I should.”

“Aww, that’s too bad.” Bokuto giggles, handing Akaashi a can of matcha milk. “Here, drink this! You’ll feel energetic!”

Akaashi’s energy levels seem to max out, just by looking at Bokuto. “Thank you.” He accepts the drink, and Bokuto sits beside him on the wooden library chair.

“You look like you feel better now! If you ever need a drink, I’ll always be there with spare change!”

Bokuto ruffles his hair, and Akaashi knows there’s something making his chest hot. “I have to go home now. I’ll see you later.”

Kuroo finds Akaashi when he’s walking back to his dorm. “Hey, you’re friends with Bokuto? You never told me!”

“Am I meant to tell you each time I make a new friend, Kuroo-san?”

Kuroo jabs at Akaashi’s side. “You have a nice face, Akaashi. Don’t let your mouth ruin it.” His comment earns him a kick to the backside. “He’s a good guy though, Bokuto. I’m sure you’ve come to know that over the last few days.”

Akaashi pulls a quizzical face. “I’ve only known him for one day?”

Kuroo’s equally confused. “What? But-” he stops himself, slapping a smile on his face. “Well, why don’t you two hang out with each other sometime? He seems to have taken a liking towards you.”

Akaashi squints. “How do you know?”

Kuroo shrugs overdramatically, handing Akaashi two small paper slips. “Here. I have two aquarium tickets that I won’t be using. Go with him, he likes fish.”

“Looking at fish, or eating fish?”

“The two can coexist.”

Akaashi takes the tickets, raising his brows. “Human convenience at its finest, Kuroo-san. Thank you for your little gift.”

Kuroo finger guns at Akaashi, and leaves shortly after. Akaashi shoves the tickets into his pocket. He can regift them, since Bokuto isn’t someone he’s known for long. But his happy-go-lucky demeanor flashes in his mind, and the empty can of matcha milk sits in one of the campus trash cans.

Akaashi is going to ask him.

CherryBeefles is online again, but this time, they play against each other. It’s a closer match than Akaashi thought, but CherryBeefles ends up coming out victorious. They both self-destruct more than once, and miss opportunities they could have taken.

_Norinigiri: Are you distracted again?_

_CherryBeefles: Wow, look who’s talking_

_Norinigiri: I am not distracted._

_CherryBeefles: I got them to smile today._

_Norinigiri: Who??_

_CherryBeefles: The cute person in my uni! It was such a pretty smile._

Akaashi huffs. He wishes he could be as upfront about his emotions as him. He’s never been good at talking about crushes, never mind talking _to_ them. He’s happy for his online friend, though. He deserves to feel excited about something.

“Akaashi!”

Akaashi remembers that there’s one more perpetually excited person in his life.

“Hello, Bokuto-san. I actually wanted to talk to you for a bit, today.” Akaashi reaches inside his pockets, pulling out the aquarium tickets Kuroo gave to him. “I was wondering if you wanted these.”

“Huh? What’s this?” Bokuto picks up a ticket and inspects it. “Oh, it’s for an aquarium! Are you gonna give this to me?”

“I was wondering if you wanted to go with me. If you don’t want to, it’s fine. You can take someone else.”

Bokuto shakes his head. “I want to go with you!”

Akaashi can almost feel the image of Kuroo grinning in his head, but keeps his composure. “I’ll see you there next week, then. Please keep the ticket until then.”

“Yup! I’ll keep it safe.” Bokuto cups the ticket with both hands, smiling into his palm. Akaashi finds it hard not to adore everything he does.

_Norinigiri: I have to finish up my smaller pieces, so I won’t be online for a few days._

_Norinigiri: Make sure to eat and sleep plenty._

One week and four sketches after, Akaashi is finished every piece he needs to submit. He’s unsure how Bokuto is managing, but he sees him in the library every day, studying or poking at Akaashi.

When Akaashi hops on a train to head to the aquarium, his heart flutters. He hasn’t gone out of his way to have fun lately, having been swamped with assignments and report writing.

Bokuto finds him shortly after he arrives at the reception, engulfing him in a bone-crushing hug. “Akaashi! Thanks for inviting me today!” He grabs Akaashi’s hand casually, pulling him over to the gigantic, blue-tinted fish tanks.

“Whoa, the fish is really pretty here, Akaashi! Look!”

Blue, purple, cream. The fish swim past the bubbles in the tank, dipping in and out between the seaweed. Akaashi stares, and Bokuto’s face is almost touching the glass.

There are jellyfish too, radiant and glowing. Their spongy heads bounce around, floating in the confines of their tank. Akaashi strolls around the displays, taking the most time to admire Bokuto.

“Whoa! There’s Nemo! From the movie!”

“That’s a clownfish, Bokuto-san.” Akaashi reads off the display board beside the tank.

Bokuto shrugs. “It’s still kinda Nemo. So I’m not completely wrong!”

Out of the blue, Akaashi is handed a program by an enthusiastic guide. “There’s a seal show going on in about twenty minutes. Would you and your friend like to come and see?”

Akaashi is neutral towards seals, but he knows Bokuto will be excited about it. He bows lightly and taps Bokuto’s shoulder to get his attention. “I was given this leaflet for a seal show. I thought you’d like to go to it.”

“Mmhm! I wanna see it! Let’s go, Akaashi!” Bokuto takes the leaflet and inspects it carefully, pointing to the outdoors area. “It’s over there! It’s over there, let’s go!”

“Okay.” Akaashi takes Bokuto’s hand, before he loses him in the crowd. They’re among the first to arrive, and they secure two seats in the front row. It smells of crisp salt in the air.

Bokuto points at the seal as soon as he sees it. “Look! The seal! Whoa, it’s so cute!” Akaashi sees something even cuter beside him. “Let’s see… Ah! Her name is Biscuit! Hi, Biscuit! I’m Bokuto Koutarou!”

“I love how you think the seal understands you,” Akaashi chuckles.

“Seals will understand! You just have to believe they will!” Bookuto proclaims, believing his statement entirely. “Go on, Akaashi! Say hi!”

Akaashi hesitates, but he can’t say no to Bokuto’s cheerful grin. “Hello, Biscuit.” He says loud enough for the carer to hear, and she gives him a warm smile. Akaashi grows bright red.

“You’re all red, like your surname, Akaashi!” Bokuto gets jabbed in the rib with Akaashi’s finger, and yelps.

“Shut up,” Akaashi bites his lip, heating up from mild embarrassment. “I’ll yank your owl hair out, that you’re so proud of.”

But he doesn’t, and he watches the seal balance an inflated rubber ball on its snout with his interest piqued. “What a good girl, eh?” Bokuto says, as if he’s talking about his own child.

Akaashi finds himself smitten.

Bokuto’s smile, curving across his mouth like a crescent moon. The notes he laughs in. What he sounds like when he’s happy, and when he’s not. The things he loves, that he treasures. He wants to be one of them.

_CherryBeefles: My exams are coming up… bleh…._

_Norinigiri: Mine are already done. Good luck._

_CherryBeefles: Don’t u have any assignments??? no fair…._

_Norinigiri: Just a small assignment. I’ll be done it in a day or so._

_CherryBeefles: Show me when you’re done!! I love your art!_

Akaashi already knows who he’s going to paint. There’s only one person that comes to mind.

“Bokuto-san, what can I bribe you with to make you sit there for four hours?”

Bokuto’s face droops comically. “Four hours? That’s so long! I’ll be bored!”

Akaashi hands Bokuto a ticket for an all-you-can-eat buffet, and pleads again. “I would really like to draw you. I’m sure you’ll like it too.”

“Can I have it when you’re all done?”

Akaashi grins. “Of course, Bokuto-san.” He sits Bokuto down on a chair. “Please get into a comfortable position.”

Bokuto flashes a grin at Akaashi. “What kind of expression do you want? Happy? Sad? Oh, should I pull a funny face?”

“If you want to keep that face for the entire time I draw you, please be my guest.”

Bokuto settles on a face at last. It’s solemn and quiet, unlike the Bokuto Akaashi’s come to known. And Akaashi learns the true meaning of the phrase “Hot until one opens the mouth”. Although Akaashi finds Bokuto attractive, there’s a unique charm that comes with his aura when he’s without words.

Akaashi sketches Bokuto’s face quickly, capturing the proportions and face shape. The curve of his jaw, how bony his ears are, how defined his brow bones are. Drawing and drawing, with no sign of stopping. He’s never been so eager to draw someone.

He whips out his paints and starts laying the base colours of his skin tone on, keeping an eye on where to exaggerate the tones. He splashes paint onto the hair area, spreading it evenly until there’s some resemblance of a human head with hair on it.

Bokuto’s eyes are beautiful, and Akaashi paints them with more range of colours than he needs. His lips seem shinier too, pale pinks and dark reds mingling with one another. Akaashi also adds darker colours onto Bokuto’s hair, painting delicately but with force behind the brush. As if he’s giving an owl its wings.

Akaashi starts to define the shadows more, painting in the dip of his collarbone and the shadow his neck casts. He’s never seen anything like him before, and he’s desperate to give his beauty some form of justice, with his brush and hand.

There’s too much leftover space. That’s the first thought that Akaashi has, when he’s finished detailing the painting. He doesn’t know how much time has passed, and Bokuto is still sitting there, without complaint.

He knows it’s risky. He could risk having to start again. But Akaashi thinks it’s the right thing to do.

Akaashi picks up his brush, and begins to paint wings in broad strokes. Varying shades of grey and dark gold make up feathers, that adorn Bokuto at the centre of the picture. He isn’t focusing on perfection, only on how he can enhance the beauty of the painting.

“I’m almost done,” Akaashi says, wiping his brow and smearing gray paint onto his forehead. “You can move if you want to.”

Bokuto’s mouth cracks into a smile, but he doesn’t get out of his seat. He watches Akaashi paint with intensity and passion, excitement glowing on his face.

After half an hour of touching off the wings, Akaashi huffs and puts down his paintbrush. His wrist is cramping. He picks up the canvas with shaky hands, and turns it so Bokuto can see.

“It’s so beautiful, Akaashi.” Bokuto takes it all in, holding the image dear in his eyes. “But there’s just one thing that’s even prettier.”

Akaashi raises his brows. “What are you trying to-”

“You.” Bokuto wipes the paint off Akaashi’s nose, with his thumb. “Your face when you were painting it. I could stare at it forever.” He leans in, close. Too close, and Akaashi doesn’t know why he isn’t pulling back.

“I’m not that big of a deal. I just drew what I thought had beauty,” Akaashi mumbles, a blush creeping up to under his eyes. “Please don’t praise me so much. I’ll end up thinking about it for too long.”

“Would it be weird if I said I want that to happen?” Bokuto grabs Akaashi’s shoulders, pulling him close. “I really like you, Akaashi. I want to have you as my boyfriend.”

Akaashi’s brain short-circuits. “I’m… I need to think, Bokuto-san. I don’t hate you, it’s just…” he loses his words, and scrambles to pick them up. “No, I like you, I do. I- are you sure?”

“Slow down, Akaashi. It’s fine.” Bokuto wraps his muscular arms around Akaashi, keeping them pressed onto his middle. “I just wanted to let you know. You don’t have to, if you don’t want to.”

Akaashi needs to give him an answer, but he can’t. His words don’t come out. He wants to tell Bokuto that he loves him too. But maybe he’s just saying it in the heat of the moment, he’ll regret it tomorrow, they won’t go anywhere.

“Can we talk about this tomorrow? I need the night to think about it.”

Akaashi walks away from Bokuto, the person who just professed his love for him. He’s weak, scared, worried. It’ll all crumble when Bokuto realises he doesn’t love him that way. There’s no way he’ll want him as a boyfriend.

_CherryBeefles: Hey_

Akaashi needs to talk to someone, and there’s someone right there. Kuroo’s studying for his exams, and hasn’t gone outside in a week. Akaashi wishes he did that, too.

_CherryBeefles: I’m not feeling the best today_

_Norinigiri: me neither, did something happen?_

_CherryBeefles: I think I just ruined something I love_

_CherryBeefles: I should have shut up_

_Norinigiri: don’t be saying that about yourself._

_CherryBeefles: it’s true_

_CherryBeefles: and he’s one of the few people who I know is gay_

_Norinigiri: you’re gay too?_

_CherryBeefles: omg no fucking way man_

_CherryBeefles: that’s awesome!!_

_CherryBeefles: anyways, what’s made you sad?_

Akaashi bites his lip. So his online friend is going through something too? And he’s gay? There’s a lot of new information that’s been thrown at him, but now he has to somehow explain that he was too scared to accept the confession of someone he loves.

_Norinigiri: I was confessed to._

_Norinigiri: I should have said yes, and I didn’t._

_Norinigiri: But I’m fine. I finished my assignment today._

_CherryBeefles: YOU GOT CONFESSED TO??!_

_CherryBeefles: If ya like them, you should tell them!! It’s not too late!_

_Norinigiri: I’m not as brave as you._

_CherryBeefles: OH, I KNOW!!!!_

_Norinigiri: What?_

_CherryBeefles: You can voice chat with me and practice with me!!_

Akaashi considers the option. He doesn’t even know his online friend’s name. But maybe that’s what he needs. Someone anonymous to practice with, who he won’t have to face the next day in his classes.

He pulls up his headphones and plugs them into his laptop. He knows he’s only practicing. He doesn’t have to worry about anything.

_CherryBeefles: Are you gonna do it?_

_Norinigiri: All right. Just for practice, I guess._

_CherryBeefles: I’m always here to help a gay out!_

Akaashi clicks the voice chat icon, and takes a deep breath.

“I’m in love with you, after all. Will you still go out with me?”

There’s no response from his friend. Akaashi feels embarrassment catching up to him. “Well, aren’t you going to give me any feedback? It wasn’t easy, you know…”

“Oh, I was just… Um.”

Akaashi freezes when he hears him stutter. He’s definitely heard that voice before. His mind is connecting the pieces, and pointing to one unmistakable truth.

“I love you too, Akaashi.”

It’s Bokuto. His online friend, his masterpiece. The one he’d been building up his confidence to confess to.

“You- _you’re_ CherryBeefles?! Are you kidding me?” Akaashi blurts out, half-laughing and sighing at the same time. “It was you the entire time?”

“This is so embarrassing,” Bokuto mutters, “I didn’t know I was talking about my crush, _to_ my crush.”

“And how do you think I feel right now?”

“I don’t know about you, but I’m very in love, Akaashi.” Akaashi can almost feel the beam of Bokuto’s smile from his headphones. “Does this mean that you’re my boyfriend now?”

Akaashi lets out a breath he’s been holding in for too long. “Yes.”

He hears a rapping on his door, and pushes his headphones off his ears to answer it. He clicks the door open, and Bokuto is there, Discord open on his phone. He gives Akaashi a cheeky grin, and Akaashi can’t contain his affection any longer.

Without hesitation, Akaashi reaches for the back of Bokuto’s head and kisses him. Bokuto whines into him, arms falling onto his hips like jelly. Akaashi wants to consume him whole.

“I think I love you, more than I thought.”

Bokuto doesn’t recover from the kiss immediately, almost falling in a crimson heap onto the floor. “I thought I was going to die…”

Akaashi cups his face, bringing him close until their foreheads touch. “I guess I’ll have to bring you back to life, then. Are your lips ready?”

Bokuto squeezes his eyes shut, and puckers his lips for a kiss. He’s clearly inexperienced, but it’s not off-putting in the least. Akaashi leans in for another round of smooching, and he can taste the sweetness of his lips.

Akaashi feels incredibly good about his big sappy gamer boyfriend. Falling in love isn’t scary, when it’s with Bokuto. He’s so in love he grosses even himself out, and that’s the way he likes it.

“No more kisses! I’ll pass out for real!”

Akaashi flicks Bokuto’s forehead lightly, teasing his bashfulness. “I love you too, you absolute dork.”

**Author's Note:**

> would u believe me if I said I never played any online multiplayer games?? I hope I did the gamers justice. Thanks for reading!!


End file.
